A Pot of Gold Articles

If you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, you might be hoping that this week you find a Leprechaun and his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Well, we know that’s just a bit of folklore, so in order not to disappoint any of our readers who are searching for that treasure, we are offering our own pot of gold…. gold articles, that is. Here are some of our most popular Analyzing Metals blog articles that involve that precious metal:

Is There Any Such Thing as Black Gold? – There is plenty of jewelry on the market that looks like it is made from black gold, and plenty of sellers on the internet advertising their black gold pieces, but black gold is not a natural metal. There is gold that has been blackened, however. Read about the various ways gold is treated so it can appear black.
Fake Gold Bead Necklaces Fooling Shop Owners – If beads don’t react to a magnet, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are real, as non-magnetic metals are used in counterfeit pieces. A drop of nitric acid can be put on the gold and one must watch for any resulting reaction to the acid. If the gold is the same karat or higher than the test acid, it will not react. If it turns colors, it indicates non-gold content. However, some metals, like certain stainless steels and platinum, may not react, so there is still a question of authenticity. Read what the shop owner could have done to not be fooled by fake beads.
How Gold Plating is Done, Step by Step – Gold plated – sometimes called electroplated – items are made with a layer of gold on the surface over another type of metal underneath. On some occasions, items are gold plated to try and fool buyers or cash-for-gold operators. But for the most part, plating is done to enhance the look or wearability of a piece of jewelry. Read how gold plating is done.
White Gold vs. Platinum: Can You See the Difference? – Gold and platinum are both dense, malleable, ductile precious metals used in jewelry and industrial applications. Throughout history, gold has always been prized as a symbol of wealth, but platinum is, currently, more valuable than gold. Read about the many other important differences between these two elements.
Does Underkarating Matter? – Despite federal laws, many merchants are advertising and promoting sales of gold at a much higher karat level than the buyer is actually receiving. Read about the guidance on gold jewelry offered by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and about the technology used to verify karat and metal content.
Bad Krugerrands: a Concern to Pawn and Numismatics Operations – Krugerrands are South African gold coins, which are well-recognized and widely traded. To help combat against the widespread coin fraud, a popular refinery offers several tips on testing the authenticity of Krugerrands, which are summarized in this article.
What Happens to the Gold After the Old Jewelry is Cashed In? – Many jewelry pieces cashed in are usually outdated or broken, so pawn shops and jewelry stores usually send all that ‘scrap gold’ to a gold recycler, or refiner, who melts it all down. Read how the purity of the gold is sorted and assessed.

If you do some searching on the internet, you’ll find many different ways to catch those mischievous leprechauns. But all you need to do to find these gold articles is to click on the links.